India, Aug. 12 -- The pilot-in-command of an Air India flight that suffered a sudden 300-foot altitude loss over Odisha last week was taking medication prescribed for "sleep difficulty", according to an internal flight safety report accessed by NDTV.

Vashistha, who has reportedly tested positive for marijuana in two separate drug tests, said he had been experiencing difficulty sleeping due to personal circumstances and had been prescribed medication by his family doctor.

He said that during the layover in Phuket, he tried to rest but found it difficult to sleep. He therefore went for a walk, believing that light physical activity would help improve his sleep.

Pilot cites compressed rest periods

Vashistha also raised concerns about the...